Repair device for high-voltage electric transmission-lines.



G. s. NEELEYL REP/HR DEVICE FOR HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION UHES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. 1915.

1,235,999., t nted Aug '7, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. S. NEELEY. REPMR DEVICE FOR HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. 1915.

1,235,999. Patented Aug 7, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

handling the wires at either side of UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. KEELEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS 0. MOLONEY, 01 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

mm DEVICE FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION-LINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Aug. '7, 191?.

Application filed April 30, 1915. Serial No. 25,065.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. NEELEY a citizen of the United States, residing at Ft. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Repair Devices for High-Voltage Electric Transmission- Lines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, forming part of this specification, in which My invention relates to a device or apparatus adapted to be utilized by workmen for replacing broken or damaged insulators which carry overhead electric conductors, and for edecting an immediate attachment of the line wires to the insulators, even though said wires be alive or charged with current.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a comparatively simple inexpensive device which may be readily manipulated, without danger to the lineman, for handling the live wires and for efi'ecting a temporary, though secure, engagement of the wire with its insulator until such time as a permanent attachment of the wire to the insulator may be efiected, as will later appear.

Other objects of my invention are, to provide a wire manipulating device which may be readily positioned on the support and for the pole, and one in which the holding device for temporarily attaching the wires to the insulators is susceptible of ready application to, or removal from, the insulator.

It will be understood that overhead lines for conducting electricity generally embody a support consisting of a pole and one or more cross arms, insulators applied to the cross arm at opposite sides of the pole, and line wires attached through the medium of the insulators to the support. An important feature in the repairing or up-keep of such lines resides in the renewal or replacement of such of the insulators as may become broken or otherwise damaged.

It has been the practice heretofore, especially in high tension or high voltage lines, to efiect this renewal of the damaged insulators when the lines are dead, a. e., when the current is cut off of certain of the wires,

it being understood that the current is directed through certain of the wires for a given period, and then switched to certain others of the wires for a like period. This 1gractlceof awaiting until the wires are dead efore making repairs is objectionable to the extent that when an insulator for any reason is broken, continued service through the line which was supported by said broken insulator is attended wit danger of the wire dropping from its defective support, which action is not only a menace to life and property, but materially affects the service inasmuch as interrupted service necessarily creates dissatisfaction among consumers of current.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

in the accompanying drawingsigure 1 is a top plan view of the wire manipulating device embodying the invention, showing the same applied for use on the cross arm of a support, the pole being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale of the wire engaging member forming a part of the manipulating device, the section be ing centrally through the member.

Fig. is a top view of the holding device to be applied to an insulator for securing the wire temporarily thereto.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4, showing the holder in place on an insulator.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section taken approximately on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is an elevational view of a modified form of the repair device.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the modified construction.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is an enlarged elevational view of the wire engaging member forming a part of the modified construction.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of a switch actuating hook utilized in connection with my improved repair device, said hook being provided with a handle of wood or suitable insulating material.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the support comprises a pole 1 and a cross arm 2 to which the line wires 3 are connected through the medium of insulators 4, disposed in suitable spaced 'relat1on on the cross arm. These parts may all be of the usual or any preferred construct1on, as they constitute no part of the present mvention.

The improved wire manipulating device comprises a lever 5 pivoted between its ends to an arm engaging member or bracket 6 by means of a removable pintle 7 in the form of a bolt, the lever being preferably formed of Wood or other nonconducting material and curved from end to end in order that when it is applied for use with its convex .face toward the arm 2 its ends will be sultably spaced away from said arm a The bracket member or hanger 6 is preferably composed of strap-metal and of inverted U-shape so as. to seat downwardly over the cross arm 2, said member being readily movable longitudinally of the arm for properly positioning the wire engaging device 8 with respect to the wire to be engaged and manipulated.

Positioned on the central portion of arm 5 is a loop 8 and pivotally connected to the upper portion thereof in any suitable manner is a bearing block 9 provided with a horizontally disposed aperture which receives the projecting portion of the bolt or pintle 7. By virtue of this construct1on,-

lever 5 may be rocked vertically upon the bolt or pintle or swung horizontally, which movements are desirable in manipulating the lever in making the necessary repairs.

Positioned on the outer end of the lever is an ordinary porcelain insulator 10 upon which is positioned a cap-piece 11, preferably of metal, the same being detachably secured to the insulator by means of screws 12 which pass through the lower portion of said cap-piece and engage in an annular groove in the insulator.

Fixed in any suitable manner to the top of the cap-piece 11 is an upwardly projecting U-shape wire engaging member 15, the arms of which are bent inwardly at a point near their outer ends to form a restricted mouth through which the wire enters under pressure to seat within the member, it being understood, of course, that the arms will yield sufliciently to permit the seating of the wire in the member.

The improved holding device for temporarily. attaching a wire to the insulators is composed of metal, and comprises an inverted cup-shaped body 16 which seats over the upper end of an insulator 10 and is detachably engaged with the latter through the medium of set screws 17 having bearing at their inner ends in an annular groove or recess 18 formed in the insulator. The 'upper face of the member 16 is provided at one side with an enlarged portion or jaw 19' havin an inset recess 20, provided in its inner wa 1 and constituting a wire receiving seat, there being movably mounted on the member 16 opposite the jaw 19, a'movable clamping member 21 having its inner end enlarged to provide a clamping jaw 22, whose active face 23 is inclined downwardly toward the seat 20, to facilitate seating of the wire within the latter.

Arranged for manipulating the member 21, and acting against the rear face of the jaw 22 is an eccentrically pivoted clamping lever 24 secured by a pivoting member. or bolt 25, which passes through a slot 26 in the member 21, to slidably mount the latter on the body 16. When the member 15 is in position on the insulator the wire receiving seat 20 will be disposed immediately above and in line with a wire receiving groove or seat 17 formed in the upper end of the insulator. V

In practice, if one of the insulators 4: becomes broken or damaged, and is to be replaced by a new one, the bracket 6 is arranged on the cross arm, and the lever 5 is fulcrumed on said bracket by engaging the perforated block 9 on the projecting por- 'tion of bolt or pintle 7.

It will be understood that the outer end of the lever carries the insulator 10 on which is positioned cap-piece 11 and wire engaging member 15, and after said lever has been properly applied to member 6, the

operator engages the inner end of said lever and manipulates the same so as to engage the line wire on the broken insulator.

The live line wire is now released from the defective insulator by either breaking said insulator with a hammer having an insulated handle, by cutting the usual tie wire with a hack-saw provided with an insulated handle, or said tie wire may be out with special pliers having insulated handles.

The lever 5 carrying the insulator 10 is now manipulated so as to raise its outerfend and the live wire carried thereby, the latter being elevated into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

After the live wire has been raised to obviate danger of the lineman coming in contact therewith, the broken insulator may be safely and readily removed, and anew insulator attached in proper position on the cross arm with the temporary holding device 16 in position on suchinsulator. The lever 5 is now manipulated to lower the live line wire and seat it in the recess 20 after which clamping lever 24 is actuated by means of an insulated switch hook, preferably of the form shown in Fig. 11 to throw the movable jaw'22 into clamping position and for cotiperation with the jaw 19 to hold the wire in the recess, it being understood that this entire operation may be accomplished without interruption of the service and that the holding device 16 serves the purpose of the usual tie wire to securely attach the line wire to the insulator.

After the line has been deadened by cutting off the current, which may be done at any convenient future time, the lineman through proper manipulation of the lever 24 releases the wire from the seat 20, loosens the screws 17, removes the member 16 from the insulator, and disposes the Wire iirthe seat 27 for attachment to the insulator in the ,usual manner.

It will be understood that through the provision of the lifting device or lever 5, the live wires may be handled without danger, while the holding member 16 permits of the wires being readily and securely attached temporarily to the insulators until such time as the line may be deadened and a permanent attachment of the wires be effected.

The repair device heretofore described is applicable for use where a series of line wires are earned by the cross arm on both sides of the pole.

Where the line wires are carried on one side of the pole only, the modified form of repair device can be advantageously used. In this modified construction which is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, I utilize as a support for the lever, the bayonet 28 or usual ground wire support, which projects upwardly a substantial distance from the top 0 the pole. This bayonet or ground wire support is usually in the form of an angle ar and applied to one of the flanges thereof is a longitudinally disposed U-shaped member 29, the same being provided with a set screw 30 which serves to lock it to the upper member.

Fixed to this block is a horizontally disposed bar 31, on which is fixed an upwardly projecting member 32, and the outer end of said bar is bent upward and receives a set screw 33.

Arranged at the inner end of the set screw 33 is a bearing plate 34. This bearing plate, the bar 31 and upright member 32, serve as a combined socket and bearing or fulcrum for a lever 35 which is approximately equal in length to the length of the cross arm and the outer end of said lever carries an insulator 36 from which depends a line wire en aging book 37.

When this cm of device is used for engaging and elevating a line wire, the block device 16 to be placed in 'the same on the cross arm,

29 is clamped at the desired height on the bayonet or support 28, after which lever 35 is positioned on bar 31 between the members 32 and 34, and an operator positioned on the end of the cross arm opposite from the end which carries the line wires, manipulates the lever so as to engage the wire in hook 37, and said lever can now be shifted into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7 thus elevating the wire a sufficient distance to permit the new insulator with the holding position.

A repair device of my improved construction is comparatively simple, can be easlly applied for use and affords a comparatively high degree of safety to linemen who are obliged to make repairs to high tension l nes while the same are carrying current.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved repair device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A repair device for high voltage electric transmission lines comprising a saddle adapted to be adjustably positioned on a cross arm, a pin removably seated in the lower portion of said saddle for retaining a loop pivotally connected to said pin to one side of the saddle, a lever carried by said loop, an insulator carried by one end of the lever, and a wire engaging member on said insulator.

2. A repair device for high voltage electric transmission lines comprising a substantially U-shaped member adapted to be adjustably positioned upon a wire support, a. member projecting laterally from said U- shaped member, a lever, means on the laterally projecting member for engaging and holding said lever in operative position, an insulator carried by one end of the lever, and a wire engaging member on said insulator.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of April, 1915.

GEORGE s. NEELEY.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, M. A. HANDEL. 

